May 2, 2008 5:38 pm US/Eastern
Legislature Lowers School Funding In Final Budget
Legislature Adjourns 2008 Session
FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) ―
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Florida Lawmakers In Tallahassee
CBS
The Florida House approved a $66.2 billion budget Friday that cuts deeply into school funding and an array of health-care programs as a result of the biggest one-year drop in revenue in state history.
Democrats faulted Republicans for not digging into the state's rainy day fund or raising taxes, such as the cigarette tax, to stem some of the cuts. Republican House leaders countered they were scaling back like families and other governments have done across the country in the face of a faltering economy.
Public schools, particularly in South Florida, are among the biggest losers in the annual state budget, which would take effect July 1. As part of a statewide $332-million reduction in K-12 spending, Broward and Palm Beach counties will see per-student funding trimmed by $117.
Miami-Dade County will lose $73-million, and Broward County, $61-million. Jim Notter, Broward School Superintendent, told CBS4 Joan Murray, "It will impact the way we do business." He added that in Broward, it will mean a hiring freeze, school support staff will be cut and there will be fewer supplies.
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